This invention relates to latching devices and to nuclear reactors incorporating such latching devices.
In one example of liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor construction, the reactor is submerged in a pool of coolant contained in a primary vessel. The primary vessel is housed in a concrete containment vault and is suspended from the roof of the vault. There is a leak jacket or catchpot surrounding the primary vessel for catching coolant in the event of leakage. The core is carried on a diagrid which depends from the roof of the vault by tie straps and the roof carries control rods which are vertically insertable into the core to control reactivity. The core includes absorber sub-assemblies for controlling or shutting down the reactor.
An absorber sub-assembly comprises two components, an outer housing assembly and an absorber rod assembly and in use the absorber rod assembly moves up and down inside the outer housing assembly.